Greg Fleming and the Working Poor – Stranger In My Own Hometown

Yet, another marvelous New Zealand import – any American who loves Americana-alt-country music would not have to worry much if they visit NZ and believe they will be without any stimulating roots-oriented rock music. This country is filled to the brim with riveting performers and in the top tier of that menu special is the consistently vital and original Greg Fleming and the Working Poor.

Greg’s new 2015 album opens with the title track – “Stranger In My Own Hometown,” – that begins with a ghostly lead guitar – warm vocals and a compelling story. It showcases a nice eerie back up vocal that provides a nice ambience.

This track is all about mood and setting the stage for this New Zealand alt-country artist’s latest foray into a genre wholly American but adapted, sharpened and polished by these adept New Zealanders. Fleming is slowly building a style vocally that is going to set him apart from any comparisons and no reason he can’t penetrate the American marketplace. I can only liken his vocal approach to Philadelphia’s late Robert Hazard who had only begun to scrape the surface of Americana-Alt-Country prior to his death. I may have even compared Greg to Hazard in the past but, the vocal tone, the inflection is similar and quite good. Fleming in no way imitates Hazard. They are just two singers working the same side of the street. Both share a vital place in this exciting music and they are both highly polished professionals with an attractive sound. This song is not to be confused with the 1970 Elvis Presley track “Stranger In My Own Town,” written in 1964 by Percy Mayfield.

Greg continues the album in a laid-back gear with serious lyrics stitched once again into a moody ballad “Hearts A Wreck.”  Fuzzy guitars combine with a melodic guitar that dramatizes the melody. This song sounds cultivated in the same soil as the late great songwriter Townes Van Zandt. There is a poignancy to it and every now and then Greg infuses the music with a potent strident urgency.

With a deeper voice and just a little hint of echo on his vocals Greg explores big business in “Corporate Hill” and mixes up his alt-country influences with a hint of Tom Waits attitude. Decades ago Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) cut a track that was light and pop-oriented than Greg’s song but he explored the same avenue. “Matthew and Son,” was a look into the drudgery of working for a corporation – “up at eight, can’t be late, for Matthew and Son…he won’t wait.” Today, songwriters like Greg Fleming approach the same subject but it’s no longer interpreted with a commercial pop sound. It’s serious business. “There’s a five minute break, and that’s all you take, for a cup of cold coffee and a piece of cake…” Compare those true lines from Cat Stevens to how Greg addresses the corporate world today. Despite it’s wonderful drive and sound – it’s musically effective. Few songwriters today even address corporate greed, power and monotony.

“Gospel Choir” – is more friendly and upbeat. Fleming’s vocalizing has improved over the years. It may just be more confidence or Greg is more comfortable in his musical skin. I understand everything sung without a lyric sheet and the words flow seamlessly through the melody and the tune has nice live presence. Again, I hear a guitar approach (as I have heard in other people’s recent releases) that resemble the vintage Les Paul and Tony Mottola guitar sound/tone. That old style 50’s lead guitar that was so cool back in that era.

“Look Where We Ended Up (Killer’s Town).”  There’s a hint on this track that characterizes Willie Nile, Billy Falcon, Elvis Costello, Graham Parker and other punk-pub stylists of the 70’s. Right down to the back-up vocalists, razor sharp guitar and frenetic lyrics – “look where we ended up….” It’s not an imitation, it’s more of a continuation of a great style that has seen its day. But, Greg squeezes out another winner by personalizing the style and making it work for him. 

Nice, impressive start to “Night Country Blues”  This has an authentic Greg Fleming feel — it grabs the ear with its arrhythmia beat. It creates a little tension, a freedom and looseness to savor. Not something you hear every day. Quite refreshing and performed with effectiveness. We can’t always expect singers, bands, and songwriters to just churn out the same thing over and over. Someone has to push the envelope a little – and this is a dose of creativity as simple as it is. 

On this song Greg plays the piano and it’s a nice  intro, compelling lyrics sung with articulation. “Autumn Auckland,” finds Fleming obviously honing his sharp instincts about his message and presentation. This is a quiet an illuminating song – lots of good imagery and while the song is based in Auckland, it could be applied anywhere. Fleming’s deep, sandy vocal lends a lot of sincerity to this haunting ballad.

“I’m a little bit scared of you….” is a nice opening line to “Sunday Spells Trouble.” Spare acoustic guitar strums followed by some nice picking frame the storyline. No fireworks, no foot-stomping – it’s just an inspired plea that compels the music forward. Some ballads are easy to write when you insert clichés and standard sad refrains but Fleming paints a small picture with some very choice words to ease his angst and sadness. A song like this takes a little thinking before it’s finished and that’s what sets a good songwriter apart from a great songwriter. Greg Fleming skims the surface of great with this collection. 

“Down on the Corner,” — not to be confused with the Creedence Clearwater Revival hit of 1969. This is an equally driving Greg Fleming rocker. Complete with “smelling donuts and gasoline,” — a hot piano and steady drums becomes the kind of song that when you’re on stage and cooking with it – you can take it in many directions and jam it with all the piss and vinegar a great performer can muster. It has a nice Bruce Springsteen feel to it, if not late-career Dion DiMucci (“King of the New York Streets.” On this Dion song he was fortunate to have the late, great Lou Reed on back-up vocals. Greg Fleming will have a guest appearance like that one day for sure. Greg has that Dion endurance and tonality in his voice) – and that’s a compliment. A cool barbed-wire guitar lead snakes into the tune. Unfortunately, it was lost just under the surface of the mix somehow – that should be fixed in live performances. Ending is upbeat, fun, enthusiastically sweet and quite polished. 

“This Love Is Gonna Survive” – Wow — this is a winner of a closer. Talk about saving the best for last. Captivating and stirring Greg Fleming vocals, bundled-up in a nice arrangement with just enough echo to add some voodoo. It has a stirring acoustic guitar and piano. One of Greg’s best songs and he uses just enough special effects to make it interesting without making it silly. No heavy-handed production here, everything is well-balanced. Again, this is not a fire works album, no showboating – just pure earthy brand musicianship and that doesn’t mean it’s loaded with Eric Clapton guitar playing (it isn’t) the song is well-constructed, crisp, it crackles, it has heat. This is a song that — when hearts break ravens fly out.

Some reports say they could not access the YouTube cut above. For convenience, I have now included the Soundcloud link to the same song as well. 

But, as the song weaves down it’s actually an optimistically clever song. The overtones are dark and it’s miraculously all done with pensive power. Songwriting narrative at it’s finest. Maybe not for some, but I had to listen to this one several times. It just hitched itself up to my mind and heart simultaneously and that for me, as a serious listener – makes for a great song.

The Working Poor band are: Greg Fleming vocals, acoustic guitar & John Segovia – electric guitar. Andrew Thorne on electric guitar & Nick Duirs on piano / bvs. Mark Hughes on bass & Wayne Bell on drums. Take a bow gentlemen.

I had no hard CD this time around so I can’t comment on the packaging but the album does display an intense concert picture of the band on the cover. 

Photography: Album cover photography – Wendy Tattersfield-Fleming // Live Picture with lead guitarist Andrew Thorne at left & Greg at center cupping microphone by Ted Baghurst // No credit cited for outdoor portrait of Greg Fleming – but courtesy of Greg Fleming website.

Website:     http://www.gregfleming.co.nz/

FaceBook:     https://www.facebook.com/gregflemingandthetrains

Bandcamp:    https://gregflemingnz.bandcamp.com/album/stranger-in-my-own-hometown

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review / commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of No Depression. All photography is owned by the respective photographers and is their copyrighted image; credited where photographer’s name was known & being used here solely as reference and will be removed on request.

John Apice / No Depression / August 2015